


Hello, Operator

by CobaltStargazer



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M, Kinda Schmoopy, Late Night Conversations, Some Sexy Talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-14
Updated: 2014-09-14
Packaged: 2018-02-17 09:14:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2304473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CobaltStargazer/pseuds/CobaltStargazer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A conversation about food, housekeeping, and other trivia. Something's afoot in Taos. Maybe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hello, Operator

Having a relationship with someone that lived over fifteen hundred miles away presented challenges, especially when one of the people involved could be called away to work across the country at any time. But Elle and Spencer had arranged a time every week for her to call his apartment late at night, when it was unlikely that they'd be interrupted. Sometimes she got his voicemail, and then she'd leave a message and he'd call her back later. It tided them over between visits.

She'd caught him at home that night, though. She'd settled in after locking up the house, and he'd turned off all the lights except for the one in his room. He kept the phone pressed to his ear as he pulled the covers back, listening to her breathe on the other end of the line. It was past midnight.

"So did Maxie like the dog food I suggested or did she turn her nose up at it?"

"Yeah, she likes it. She scarfed down an entire bag in less than a week, but her digestion's better, so thanks for the recommendation."

"I did some research online on brands that older dogs prefer, and that was the best of the lot."

She could imagine him doing it too, that when he said 'some research' he'd probably spent hours poring over information. Elle had cleaned the house thoroughly that afternoon, and the bedsheets were freshly changed. The former profiler let out a soft sigh as she got under the blanket. 

"Comfortable?" Spencer's voice was amused, and he heard her chuckle.

"Yeah, I'm getting there," she replied. "Took a nice long shower before bed. I used that soap you like, the one that smells like coconut."

"Don't do that."

"Why?" Her tone was innocent, playful, and he could hear the laugh bubbling underneath it. Not a giggle. Elle didn't giggle, ever. Spencer took his watch off, put it on the bedside table. It was always the last thing he set aside before he slept.

"Because you're too far away for me to enjoy it."

"You've got a good imagination, Reid. Use it. Me and lots of hot water, all wet and slippery..."

" _Elle_."

Her voice, which had lowered seductively, returned to its normal tone, because she knew how he sounded when things below the waist were about to get a little stiff. But she did let herself laugh a little when she said, "Okay, I'll be good. What'd you have for dinner tonight? Did you cook or order take out again?"

"I got one of those pre-made lasagnas," he answered. "Trader Joe's. Statistics show that products with generic labels aren't actually that different than name brands, but Trader's had some really positive reviews. It wasn't too bad."

"The next time I come see you, I'll show you how to make lasagna. You need to eat home-cooked food sometimes."

"I do," he protested. "I can cook, I just don't always have time for it." He heard her make an amused noise, scratched a spot above his ear.

"We'll make time for it."

"Did you get a recycle bin? I don't know if you need to request one from the city or not." The clock on the night stand said it was a quarter til one. Spencer didn't feel the slightest bit tired.

"Yeah, I did. It's green. I've been sorting glass and plastic today. Makes a lot more room in the trash cans without all that stuff in there. I should have been doing the recycling thing before now, anyway."

They listened to each other breathe for a few minutes. They only talked about her work during these conversations, not his. It was an unspoken agreement, but one they both adhered to. The seconds ticked by on his watch where it sat on the bedside table. She broke the silence with a quiet chuffing sound.

"I wish you were here. Talking about showers made me a little horny."

He laughed and then changed the subject, because he didn't want to frustrate the both of them. "I've been going to the movies more often. Sometimes Garcia goes with me. We saw _Guardians of the Galaxy_ twice."

Elle had turned onto her back and was looking at the ceiling in the dimness. The hairline crack was still there. She should speak to the landlord about it. "I've been renting a lot of stuff lately, inviting people from the store by for movie nights. We're one of the last places to get new movies, so it's usually easier to wait until things are out on DVD."

"When am I going to see you again?"

He asked the question because he felt as if enough time had passed since he'd answered the phone, and she laughed softly but didn't answer right away. Spencer waited, and when Elle didn't say anything for a minute or two, he said, "You didn't go to sleep on me, did you? I know it's late, so if you need to crash..."

"No, I'm right here. I was just turning onto my side."

Something in the way she said it, some subtle change in the way she spoke, made Spencer's profiler's instinct turn on, and his head tipped to the left. "Uh huh."

Elle had, in fact, rolled onto her right side, and out of nearly dormant habit she heard his tone shift. She fought the smile, and her voice was all innocence when she said, "Yeah, I'm _much _more comfortable now."__

__"What are you up to?" Now he _really_ wished he could see her, and the fingers of his right hand plucked at the bedsheet. He pressed the phone to his ear more tightly, as if that would help him discern her words._ _

__"Why, Dr. Reid, I have no idea what you're talking about." Spencer had always been good, there was no question of that. But maybe she was just a little bit better, at least for now. At least about this._ _

__"What are you up to, Elle?" He was running through the probabilities in his mind. His birthday wasn't for months. Christmas wasn't just around the corner, either. He was trying to do origami with the sheet, but the soft fabric refused to cooperate. He heard her laugh long-distance. His stomach folded in on itself._ _

__"So _Inquisitive_ , baby." Her voice had lowered again, and the smile had blossomed despite her best efforts. She could almost hear the wheels in his brain whirring. "I'm telling you, it's nothing."_ _

__The profiler's analytical nature wanted the answer and wanted it now, but the part of him that knew she would never do anything to hurt him was already settling back on its haunches. Preparing to wait. Whatever it was, she'd tell him soon enough. She knew how to make surprises fun and worthwhile. "Okay, so its nothing," he acquiesced. The minutes continued to tick by._ _

__The trust implicit in his short statement warmed her, and not for the first time she wished she could kiss him good night before she slept. She closed her eyes, breathing softly for a few minutes. It was one-thirty._ _

__"I have never loved you more than I do right now."_ _

__He laughed, a warm sound. "I do love watching you outdo yourself."_ _

__"I'll see you real soon, I promise."_ _

__The silence lingered. They both knew it was time to hang up. The gentle sound of breathing went on for another minute, and finally Spencer ended his side of the call. The sound of her voice always sweetened his dreams._ _

__In Taos, Elle put the phone on the table next to the bed, and she turned the lamp the rest of the way off. In the dark, she blew a kiss in his direction. She'd give him a real one when they saw each other again, and that couldn't be soon enough._ _


End file.
